Unspoken Intentions
by Almost Sierra
Summary: They all had intentions on the night before the dreadful wedding...but they were also all unspoken. HD with a teeny PH--takes place in chapter 45 of Rumors


**The Luxe****; ****Rumors**** and ****Envy**** © Anna Gobersen  
******Takes place before chapter forty-five in Rumors**=  
Plot idea © InnerSakura14**

**Unspoken Intentions**

Isaac Phillips Buck's eyes widened as he looked over the list of invitees to the _"last great wedding of the 1800's"._ He looked over to Penelope who was lounging on her chaise, blowing out smoky circle with her cigarette and draped in a silk red kimono, which one could find in Elizabeth Holland's closet only in white…

"Penelope, my dearest, I see Diana Holland's name listed. Is this a mistake?" He questioned as her azure eyes locked on his. She began to laugh; a laugh that reminded her best friend of the witch in _Snow White_.

"Buck, as happy as I am at this moment I am proud to say it is not." She paused taking a drag. "I want a glimpse of poor little Di's face as her beloved says 'I do' to _me_." Buck blinked, wrapping his mind around the ingenious plan.

"If I didn't know you as well as I do, I would say you're evil." Penelope sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Darling, tell me something I don't know." She said, blowing out another ring. Buck smirked and set to work on the invitation.

* * *

_Diana,  
__Please do not despise me, for what I am doing—I am doing for __**you**__.  
__As you and I know, reputations—especially here in New York—are more important than true love. And you know more than anyone else, I would throw mine away in heartbeat if it meant being with you. Though a rather unannounced… _

That was where Henry stopped, his quill making a stain on the parchment. How could he phase it, the reason for breaking his true bride's heart and after _those_ nights?

He was, without a doubt, all the things that his father had called him time after time. Before, on the night in the greenhouse, he had asked Diana, where did people go after… their demise.

_She, in her silk camisole and rundown (she had told him that she almost threw a fit when Claire had tried to give them away) bloomers, laughed. A moment before, they were lying on top of the wool blanket, cuddling, though a breeze had past though the cracked windows, making Diana squeeze her shoulders for warmth. Henry, ever so the gentleman, had taken another wool blanket—the wooliness of this one was worn down from use—and wrapped it carefully around his true love._

_"Henry, don't be silly. People either go to heaven or hell. I feel bad for the 'hell' people. They have to wait to find out what level they're on. Have you read Dante's Inferno, my god, that was a masterpiece!" Henry smiled as Diana started ranting. _

_"Di, where do suppose I'll go?" Diana stopped, blinking her chocolate eyes at her love. For a second, their eyes met. Then she began to giggle. _

_"Why to Heaven, of course! I'll be there too along with Elizabeth, Claire, Mother…"_

_"How about Miss Hayes?" He questioned. He promised himself he would never tell her how exquisitely beautiful she was when she got angry. _

_"Hmm, Penelope Hayes, my sister's best friend and your former lover… that is indeed a hard question to answer. Let's try… no!" On the other hand, she __**herself**__ adored it when he became jealous and began to pout like her five-year-old cousin when he didn't get a cookie. "What about your chap, Teddy?" Henry's smile turned into a frown._

_"Diana—do you __**really**__ think Teddy Cutting would go to heaven. He would, absolutely, pollute it. Plus," He tightened is grip on her. "I don't like the notion of him seeing you in all of your heavenly glow." _

_Diana tapped her chin. "Yes, Watson, I do agree!"_

But now, gazing down at the ruined paper, he almost knew where he was headed—the eighth circle—the level for the deceiving bastards.

Oh, what he wouldn't give to go back to that night and just stare at Diana's rosy cheeks and run his fingers though her russet hair. Her hair always had this scent almost like strawberries dipped in chocolate; a scent Henry very quickly became addicted to.

But he couldn't do any of those things again. Because he had fallen for the youngest Holland and would do anything for her—even giving up his freedom as a bachelor (which by all means he promised to Diana) to the ugliest—she was a beauty on the outside but a hag on the inside—of them all: Penelope Hayes.

Maybe at one of the many social events, he could catch Diana alone and finally explain.

_Maybe_.

* * *

"Miss Elizabeth, please eat. Your mother is worrying." Diana heard Claire beg her sister to eat… _again._ It was becoming like a broken record. Claire would arrive at Elizabeth's door, push it open with the tray of crackers and porridge and spend a full thirty minutes asking the tearstained face of the once divine smile—which was now cracked, reveling the cracked and broke girl inside—to reach nowhere.

Diana refused, after attempts by her mother and aunt, to try to get Elizabeth to at least _speak_. Because she knew what it was like, having a broken heart and time, sadly, was the only solution.

"Diana, you have mail, delivered by the Hayeses' mail-boy." Her aunt Edith told her from the drawing room. "Come now, and open it!" As an upstanding lady of society, Edith Holland cherished gossip and the Hayeses' heir; Miss Penelope Hayes was all but the center of it.

Her niece groaned under her breath. When Elizabeth had stolen away to California with her beloved Will (rest in peace), she had warned her baby sister of Penelope's dark intentions. "Yes, Aunt Edith." She picked her pink paisley day dress up and trudged into the room.

"Here you go, Diana." While her mother and Elizabeth had addressed her as 'Di', her aunt never did. "What does it say?" She asked once Diana had broken the seal. Diana stared at the azureland paper. Suddenly, a breaking noise rang though the sixteen-year-old's ears and she dropped the letter and envelope and fled the room. Edith blinked, trying to comprehend what just happened. She moved to receive the letter and read.

**The William S. Schoonmakers  
****Request the pleasure of your company  
At a very special occasion  
Tuxedo Park  
December 31, 1899  
Six O'clock in the evening**

_So, this is it._ Edith thought. As one of New York' finest gossiper, she wasn't so blind as her dear sister-in-law Louisa was. She saw the hopeful glances her youngest niece had when Henry Schoonmaker was around. She crushed the paper to her chest. _If only I could do something for you, my lovely Di. _

Out in the stables, Diana climbed the ladder to Will's old room. She threw herself on the bare mattress, breathing in Will's sent. As he played with her sister and Lina, he also entertained Diana with his extensive knowledge of books. He was the big brother she always wanted although his words of wisdom on Emma Woodhouse's love of matchmaking she would never hear again.

Without any warning the horses began to nay wildly right at the instant she began to weep.

* * *

Penelope noticed her soon-to-be-husband's eyes darting back and forth with the archway of where guests had been welcomed and where she had entered to all wide eyes and open jaw. Henry tugged at his cuffs and a beat of sweat ran down his profile. Buck, her personal wedding coordinator, had received no RVSP from the Hollands, Penelope felt sad that her archenemy could not her shining moment.

But…_ but_, if his beloved Di did not come to save him, Penelope reasoned, than Henry had no reason _not_ to give up the Hollands.

Oh yes, Penelope smiled her wicked smile; _this_ was turning out exactly how she wanted it to.

* * *

**Author's Note~~ "Bonjour!! I was pulled in immediately into the world of nineteenth century romance and deception. **

**I also was very dissapointed of the number of fanfiction about this wonderful series—please if you're fan, write some! Please!!!**

**Anyway I am writing yet another oneshot of my favorite couple, HENRYXDIANA FOREVER! (I think I'm the first **_**Luxe**_** otaku—YAY!) and a chapter fic is soon in my mists. **

**Stay tune! :D**


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